Improvement in car-couplings



'G. E. CLARKE.

Car Coupling.

Patented Dec. 26, 1865.

Inventor- Witnesses:

-PETEHs, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT 0 FFICE.

G. E. CLARKE, OF RAGINE, VVISOONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 5] ,695, dated December26, 1865.

.'[0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, G. E. CLARKE, of Racine, in the county of Racine andState of in section; Fig. 2, a plan or top view of one draw-head of thesame, partlyin section; Fig. 3, a front View of one of the draw-heads ofthe same.

Similar letters sponding parts.

This invention relates to a new and improved car-coupling of that classwhich are termed self-acting or self-coupling, and itconsists in a novelarrangement of shackles or links, springs, and a shackle-releasingmechanism, as hereinafter fully shown and described, whereby twoadjoining cars, when coming in contact, will be coupled with certaintyand readily uncoupled at any time when necessary, and made to uncoupleor disconnect itselfin case of a car being thrown from the track, sothat said car cannot drag the others connected with it from the track.

A A represent the draw-heads of two adjoining cars. The draw-heads Idesign to have constructed of wrought-iron, their rear parts being ofrectangular form, with top and bottom flaring plates, a a, at theirfront ends, as shown clearly in Fig. 1, to admit of the ready passing ofthe shackles B into them, if the platforms of the adjoining cars vary inheight.

The shackles B are of flat taper form, with a hook, at, at their frontends, the rear ends of the shackles working on journals 1), the bearings of which are in the sides of the draw-heads. One of the journals ofeach shackle passes through the side of its draw-head, and has acoil-spring, 0, connected with it. These coilof reference indicatecorresprings have a tendency to keep the shackles in a horizontalposition and to insure the entrance of the shackle of the draw-head ofone car into that of the other.

When the two draw-heads are connected the hook at of the shackle B ofone of them catches over the inner rounded end, 0, of the other, asshown clearly in Fig. 1, the lower shackle not being connected, buthanging loose. The upper shackle is held down on the rounded inner endofthe other bya spring, D, as shown in Fig. 1, each draw-head beingprovided with one of them.

To the rear part of each shackle B there is attached a chain, D Thesechains are attached to the upper sides of the shackles and extend downbehind them to the rear of the draw-heads, and pass around pulleys dthrough the side of the draw-heads and are attached to levers E. Thesechains are for the purpose of elevating the hooks to of the uppershackle off from the inner end of the lower one in order to disconnectthe two draw-heads. When two draw-heads come in contact one shacklepasses over the other and catches over the rear end of the lower one.

The device is extremely simple, and it possesses the advantage ofdisconnecting itself in case a car is thrown from the track, as theshackles, when twisted or turned obliquely, will disengage themselves.

Having thus described my invcn tion, I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. The shackles ,B, provided with hooks a attheir outer ends, and fitted in the drawheads, so as to work or swingvertically, and one catch over the inner end of the other, substantiallyas and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The coil-spring 0, attached to one of the journals of the shacklesfor the purpose otl keeping the latter in a horizontal position, asdescribed.

3. The springs D, placed within the drawheads A A, when used incombination with the shackles B, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

4. The chains D attached to the rear parts of the shackles B, and havinglevers E connected to their rear ends, substantialy as and for thepurpose set forth.

G. E. CLARKE.

